The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza in six new cases that span four states. The states affected by the new outbreaks are Iowa, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The latest round of confirmed avian influenza outbreaks involves more than 1.3 million birds.
Three of the new cases were confirmed in Minnesota, and two of those were in Kandiyohi County. One Kandiyohi County flock involved 42,900 turkeys and the other involved 67,000 turkeys. With those two cases, Kandiyohi County has now had 19 confirmed cases, according to APHIS. Minnesota’s other new case was confirmed in Chippewa County, where a flock of 68,000 turkeys was infected.
The outbreak involving the largest number of birds was in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, where a flock of 1.03 million laying hens was infected. This is the second avian influenza outbreak in that county.
In Sac County, Iowa, the virus was confirmed in a flock of 33,900 turkeys.
The North Dakota avian influenza case reported by APHIS was previously reported by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. In this case, 71,500 birds – including both chickens and turkeys – in LaMoure County were affected by the virus.
